Principal Software Engineer, Gameplay - Teamfight Tactics

Riot Games; California (MO); On-site; USD 229,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Open PTO policy

Medical, dental, and life insurance

Parental leave

401k with company match

Job summary

Riot Games in Los Angeles seeks a Principal Software Engineer for the Live Experiences TFT team. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to define needs across art, design, and audio, building gameplay features and new systems for our players.

You will work on cross-platform development (PC, Android, iOS) and guide tooling, workflows, and architecture to deliver high-quality experiences. The role emphasizes mentorship and technical leadership across engineers and designers.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software development experience on large codebases spanning platforms/tools.
• 4+ years Unreal Engine experience with toolchains and content pipelines.
• Expertise with C++ and Gameplay Engineering (Character, Camera, Controls).
• Experience collaborating across Design, Art, QA, and Production to deliver solutions.
• Experience mentoring others in soft and hard skills.
• Product sense, pragmatism, and player empathy in tech decisions.

Responsibilities

• Build gameplay features and systems for TFT game modes and cosmetics.
• Build around-game UI features, including progression and monetization flows with Designers and UX.
• Collaborate and drive product, technical and architectural discussions aligned with product vision.
• Improve efficiency for developers by enhancing tools and workflows.
• Align with stakeholders across TFT to deliver features.
• Provide mentorship to engineers, tech artists, and tech designers.

Skills

10+ years software development

Unreal Engine

C++ Gameplay Engineering

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Mentoring others

Product sense

BS in Computer Science

Education

BS in Computer Science

Tools

Unreal Engine

Job description

Riot engineers bring deep knowledge of specific technical areas but also value the opportunity to work in a variety of broader domains. As a software engineer, you’ll work with both new and current technologies, creating innovative solutions to overcome high-volume obstacles and to deliver player value.

As a Principal Software Engineer on the Live Experiences teams within Teamfight Tactics, you will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to enable the creation of new game features, systems, and experiences for our players. You will discuss and define the needs of art, design, and audio in a highly collaborative environment. You will build new technology in a wide variety of game systems to meet those needs. As Teamfight Tactics is a multi-platform game, supporting PC, Android, and iOS, cross-platform experience would be beneficial. You will report to the Engineering Manager accountable for the Live Experiences teams.

Responsibilities:

• Build gameplay features and systems for TFT game modes and cosmetics

• Build around-game UI features, including progression and monetization flows in collaboration with Visual Designers and User Experience creatives

• Collaborate and drive on product, technical and architectural discussions, ensuring alignment with product vision and engineering strategy

• Improve efficiency for developers and unlock their ability to create awesome experiences by improving tools and workflows

• Align with stakeholders and disciplines spanning multiple teams across TFT to deliver awesome features

• Provide mentorship to engineers, tech artists, and tech designers

• Participate and improve the team's support rotation

• Reduce ambiguity in a problem space through technical discovery & prototyping

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of software development, including shipping one or more products on large code bases that span a range of platforms and tools

• 4+ years Unreal Engine experience, with familiarity in game engine tools, workflows, & content pipelines

• Expertise with C++ and Gameplay Engineering (Character, Camera, Controls)

• Experience leveraging strong communication skills to collaborate across disciplines (e.g. Design, Art, QA, Production) to create solutions

• Experience mentoring others in both soft and hard skills

• Product sense, pragmatism, and player empathy in making tech decisions

• BS in Computer Science, or proven understanding of Computer Science fundamentals

Desired Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Teamfight Tactics

• Mobile and/or multi-platform experience

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about the experiences of players, this could be the role for you!

Our Perks:

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data

• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors

• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks

• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.

(Los Angeles Only) Base salary range between $229,200.00 - $319,500.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long-term disability + open PTO.